Comments on: Pat Robertson: Gays are Gay Because They Were Abusedhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977
News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoricFri, 31 Jul 2015 17:14:55 +0000hourly1By: aaronhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-65312
Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:16:30 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-65312Pat Robertson is a fool who has a hot seat in hell waiting for him…i was not molested, i was raised in church (southern baptist) nothing made me gay….i was born that way and i w ill die that way and if i get to meet pat robertson in heaven….im goin to do the i told you so dance!
]]>By: James Savikhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42651
Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:36:54 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42651>>Who’s raping all these Christian kids?

If you read the papers, their preachers are being rounded up and charged with sexual battery on a routine basis.

Where better for molesters to hide than behind the pulpit of a church.

Here’s a case that Robertson would love:

MISSISSIPPI
JAYESS – Valley of the Kings Church patriarch David Earl King, 66, and Nathan Paul King, 32, King’s adopted son, were indicted in April on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy who attended their church and school.

The elder King was sentenced to 36 years in prison for sexual battery, conspiracy to commit sexual battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was fined $16,000 on all counts. His son received 18 years and 6 months for the same charges and was also fined $16,000.

A third man, Gary Lynn Bates, 21, of Denham Springs, La., was arrested on related charges. All three pleaded innocent.

Bates testified that he, David Earl King, and the young victim engaged in sex together, “three or four times.” Bates said Nathan Paul King joined them twice.

Bates said he was threatened with expulsion from the church by the elder King if he did not continue to have sex with the child.

Under questioning by the defense, Bates acknowledged that he was promised 5 years probation in return for cooperating with prosecutors.

The 14-year-old’s parents claim the Kings sexually abused their son and **threatened to castrate him if he spoke of it**, Sheriff Duane Dillon said. The indictment includes a second possible victim, identified as an 11-year-old boy who alleges Nathan King attempted to have sex with him.

!>>Since the arrest, the sheriff says at least 8 people from Tex., Lou., and Miss. have come forward, alleging sexual abuse by David King and church followers. Some allegations date back decades.

]]>By: Regan DuCassehttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42551
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:22:18 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42551Pat Robertson’s answer to that mother will do many of several extremely destructive things:

1. It will perpetuate the stereotype and make each gay man suspect.

2. It will create distrust between these parents and innocent gay men and women who do work with the young.

3. Robertson is asserting that a CRIME has been committed on this boy. So, what are these parents to do? Who to accuse, prosecute…how to gather evidence?

Pat Robertson is engaging in the same kind of fear based political speech and advise that segregationists used against white people fearful of integration. They planted the seeds of suspicion that ALL black males were sexually predatory, aggressive and unintelligent with no more consciousness than apes, but with an uncontrollable attraction to white females.

This assertion of course, got black males lynched on the flimsiest of accusations and over the most casual of social encounters.

Gay men know ALL about that too.

This is a calculation. Just like the incitement that culminated in the deaths of G. Tiller, the security guard at the D.C. Holocaust museum and the shootings at the Knoxville church…

Robertson counts on the knuckleheads out there to do the dirty work he won’t be bothered to get his hands dirty over.
He doesn’t care about these parents, and especially not about this boy.
That kid’s parents NEVER needed PR’s permission to love him.

And the kid doesn’t need anyone’s permission to be gay and be happy.

The parents were looking for a kind of absolution if anything awful DOES happen to their boy.
The permission they were looking for, and the rationale they sought was to not be responsible for the kid’s ability to go forth, even emotionally UNMOLESTED, by their beliefs and assumptions.

Pat Robertson is counting on these parents to hurt this kid and do their utmost to pass along the guilt and shame and unhappiness.
He has a kind demeanor and sophist delivery. And these people allow him to lead them by the nose as if HE knows their boy better than THEY do.

The real shame is the boy is at highest risk of paying a heavy price for such laziness by his parents, and evil on the part of Robertson.
They SHOULD rely on the truth of the boy’s own witness to his life and experience, not Robertson.

But then, that would be a lot simpler and more logical…wouldn’t it?

]]>By: Denisehttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42486
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:10:19 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42486Funny, being sexually abused by someone of the same sex as a child made it harder for me to acknowledge to even myself that I was queer. Even being raped by a man didn’t dislodge that.

I feel terrible for that mother who was told her son was likely abused. It’s possible it could open a conversation about abuse that really happened (which could be healing or tear the family apart; depends on who is the guilty party), but more likely he was NOT abused and she will spend days if not years beating herself up over missing the “fact” that her son was being abused and that their relationship is so fractured he won’t tell her about it. I recall hearing a few people talk about this parental trauma as a result of their participation in ex-gay ministries.

I’m with Ben on how ridiculous the Robertson hypothesis is when applied to real-world incidents instead of ideological smokescreens. And I’m very much in agreement with Fannie, wondering whether my feminist hackles are raised higher than my relief to be largely ignored by the hatemongers.

Here is some peer-reviewed research indicating the rate of childhood sexual victimization to be about 9% among LGB youth: “Childhood Gender Atypicality, Victimization, and PTSD Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Nov 2006; vol. 21: pp. 1462 – 1482. The same research group is looking deeper into the connection between gender atypicality and victimization. Preliminary findings are that the gender atypical children are much more likely to be targeted. Since gender expression starts to be apparent by age 2-3 and most victimization comes after that, it hardly takes a working brain to rule out causality there.

]]>By: Priya Lynnhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42431
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:07:31 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42431Bridget, have you ever considered the possibility that if you had never been molested that you still would have been wondering if you were gay when you were 12? Maybe that’s just who you are and the molestation was irrelvant to you feeling that way and you just erroneously think the two are connected.
]]>By: Ben in Oaklandhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42422
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:43:31 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42422Also, i don’t think I’m “over-reacting” to Patty’s comments. I suggest you really read and attempt to understand what I wrote in my lengthy post. I’ve been hearing that garbage my whole life. It all boils down to fear– fear of hell, fear that the gays are gonna get your kid, fear of people you don’t know and xclearly know nothing about.

Please educate yourself before you add to the fear.

]]>By: Ben in Oaklandhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42421
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:35:35 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42421Bridget– congratulations on your lovely experience with Jesus. I’m glad it works for you. But there isn’t the slightest bit of evidence about your claim that being molested almost turned you gay. you may believe it, but that doesn’t make it true. as other have pointed out, lots of people are molested who don’t turn gay. And I’ve met only a few gay people in my life– and i have many dear and close friends–who were molested.

But here is a different thought for you. Assuming that there is a little bit of truth in what you were saying, maybe you have it backwards. Being molested doesn’t turn people gay, but being perceived as gay by sexual predators is enough to get you molested. i’m fairly certain it works for catholic priests.

I doubt you know much aobut sexuality. you should probably read the part of Paul which talks aobutm istaking your ignorance for wisdom.

You are flat out wrong when you claim that “the majority of persons who are homosexual have been sexually abused at a young age.” There is not one scintilla of evidence behind that statement, which is exactly the point of this entire post.

If you have any evidence for that whatsoever, then please post a link to it. Unlike other web sites, we do not allow unsubstantiated claims like that to go unchallenged. Pseudoscience doesn’t pass here.

]]>By: Bridgethttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42398
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:34:19 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42398I think that everyone is overreacting on Pat Robertson’s comments. The majority of persons who are homosexual have been sexually abused at a young age. This creates quite a conflict for the pre-pubescent person who has experienced this, regardless if one is male or female. He is simply stating his beliefs based on biblical principles, while not so eloquently. I personally struggled with this issue around 12 years of age after being molested at age 3. I went to counseling and with the help of an anti-depressant, somehow everything turned around. This could have been related to OCD but have never forgotten this experience of wondering if I was gay at age 12. I relate it to obsessive thoughts but all of the past experience came crashing down on me at this time. I pulled out of this 6 months later. I am now
30 and married for 5 years to a wonderful man and have never had an issue with the past. My personal experience has left me with many questions for God on this issue. I am a devout Christian with faith in my Saviour Jesus Christ. I revel in his awe and love every day. I am so thankful I found him. He has changed my life in so many ways, and I am tearful while writing this. I do not have an answer for the judgement of homosexuals. I have only my opinion since, in my opinion, I came close to being one. Only our maker, God, can judge for this. We should show love and respect to all. It is simply my belief that this is caused from sexual abuse and that my counseling sessions combined with anti-depressants helped normalize me. Just some thoughts.
]]>By: David C.http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/06/10/11977/comment-page-1#comment-42386
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:22:43 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=11977#comment-42386Splendid analysis, Ben.

I just hope that Pat Robertson and those like him are a dying breed. It’s time for their preaching to end and for mankind to move beyond it.